Tony Bellew has told talkSPORT his upcoming fight with David Haye is ‘purely personal’ following the 36-year-old’s attempt to punch Bellew in their November press conference.

The build up to the grudge match came to a head when Haye seemed to aim a blow at the WBC cruiserweight titleholder as tensions rose.

Following that outburst, Haye has verbally attacked Bellew on many occasions, claiming he will, among other things, send the Liverpudlian to hospital on a stretcher following the fight.

And Bellew insists Haye has made the fight go from being about business, to being ‘purely personal’.

Speaking to Drivetime, the 34-year-old said: “When he threw the punch at the press conference it stopped being about business anymore. It was purely personal.

“He shouldn’t have thrown the punch at the press conference.

“It was a disgusting move to make, and the things he’s gone on saying since – like he’s going to leave me in hospital, or I’m not going home to see my kids after the fight – it’s very distasteful and disgusting.

“You don’t say things like that.

“Boxing has been through enough turmoil in these last 12 months – we’ve had guys in comas, we’ve had guys pass away, we’ve got guys still in hospital – there’s so many things going on and this guy’s talking about I’m going to be leaving on a stretcher.